Exploring the Arts and My place in Creation

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

wow.so.many things..where does one begin. At home I guess, so I am thankful for my wife and for my mom. I'm thankful that I carry a piece of my father and his father. I am thankful for my brothers and sister and brothers in law and sisters in laws. I am thankful for their mothers and fathers. I am especially thankful for Oma whos image remains etched in my mind. I am thankful for the unification of many cultures in my family. I am thankful for my children and the children of all my family. I am thankful for my greater family which includes friends and friends of friends and I am grateful for their families too. I am thankful for my community and my neighbors and all the people on my street and in my town. I am thankful for a grateful heart. Yes it is true. I am blessed beyond my own deserving. I am most grateful to God, because it is through this Spirit that I find the balance intended for me. I am thankful for the talents and non talents that I have. I am thankful for music and creative arts. I am thankful for fine and not so fine art. I am thankful for beauty as it is expressed in so many ways. I am not talking about physical beauty, though I am thankful for that too! I am thankful for torch bearers of truth and justice. I am grateful for those who died so that I may live. I am grateful to geography and most thankful for gravity. I am grateful for the many provisions and the master plan. I am grateful to all those people who seek the way of encouragement and love. I am grateful for peace and also banana's. I am thankful for morning smoothies and sharing them with the one I love. I am grateful for each new day and each new opportunity to share my gratefulness, which by the way I am most grateful for....or did I already say that.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

This cross was made by an inmate. It is made of paper. Strips of paper had been folded and re-folded into this woven paper cross. Its a beauty. It was in my bible when I went to bible College. It has spent time on the rear view mirror of two of my vehicles. It now sits with many of my other "important artifacts" such as driftwood, special rocks, sage and birch bark. I have feathers and bones and carvings. My sweatgrass, my home made guitar, a patti rainbow friendship turtle, some pine cones and a few skulls. There is a detail map of the Temagami Old growth folded real small along with cedar I collected from the cliffs. These are little things I have picked up along my journeys. They are objects of my gathering and gifts to me from others. I trade them with fellow gatherers. They remind me of God's magnifenct provisions for us. I do not worship them, though I consider them sacred. I consider the entire collection to be good medicine and of divine source.

Some day my collection will be scattered to the winds of time and change. Some day I wont be able to see my collections. I wont be able to feel the texture of driftwood. I wont be able to experience the tickle of the feather. Heck, I may even forget my collection and who I am. There could come a time, when I may not be able to exercise my relationship with God and Creation. I trust however, that all of these things wont mean anything, as I will go to the place of my dreams; The place from which I came. I will return to the Source, the great Ruach. All of these earthly things will come to pass, and my very being will shed this earthly carcass.

But for now......Thank You to the hands that made my paper cross. I pray that you find peace and contentment. I pray that you repent and experience forgiveness. I carry this cross you made for me and cherish it as a sign of hope.

My mom does prison ministry and has a LOT of friends in low places. We joke about that. Any time any one threatens us, we simply explain how mom is "mom" to not only my brother and sister and I, BUT also to a couple hundred inmates! Trust me, you dont mess with moms!. Anyway. one of her friends on the inside new that I was a guitar player. He made this for me. Well I think he made it for Mom..for me.

It is made of paper, cardboard, fabric, thread and a bit of wood. The guitar and case is onlt about 6 inches long! It is an amazing work of art and I apprecaite owning this.

If anyone says..do you own a handmade guitar?, I can say YES I DO! Actually heehee, I do own a handmade guitar. It is called Timberline and it was made in Barrys Bay by Kevin Hall...but thats not why I posted this.

Its started getting windy. and windier. The lightning started with hail the size of marbles. My boat was getting tossed at the end of my dock. I had to rush out to save it from going down. Suddenly we were without power. My data and communications link dropped. I thought..."you have no plan". Truly, I had no plan. I diverted my calls to my cell which was quick and easy. I hoped into my truck and went to town to buy a generator.

I wanted to buy at a shop that understood what they were selling. I tried 2 places with no luck and decided to go to Candaian Tire. He showed me the generator and it was a too good to be true price. It was a brand name I had never heard of. I asked him if we could power it up so I could hear how loud it is. He said that he couldnt and that they were loud. I said thanks and split.

I dropped by the lumber store and asked if they knew where I could buy a decent generator. He said, do you mind used? I said, well I'd like to get one right now and no I dont mind used. So he sent me with high recommendation over to Sturgeon Rent-All. I walked in, the price was right, he powered it up so I could hear. He services what he sells. He gave me a guided tour of the unit so I knew what I was doing. Now thats how I want to do business. He helped me load it up and I went home.

The power was back, but I have the generator ready for next time.

Later, after all the bad weather, we were left with this. A beautiful rainbow. Sue and I stood out on our front lawn and just soaked it up. Rainbows are special and yes its true. There is a pot of gold at each end!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Opa and Inge came for a visit. It sure was nice to have them. They drove up on Monday and left on Wednesday. I had to work, but Sue had a nice day with them out at the cranberry bog and the Cache Bay bird lookout. I really enjoyed the time we had.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

There are several pockets of old growth scattered throughout the Temagami region. While travelling on logging roads, I come across many magestic trees thgat got missed when the loggers first started harvest. I believe the government puts a lengthy freeze on all land that is harvested, in order for it to regenerate. I suspect that many of these beautiful trees will be extracted next time through. Machinary and technology is much differant now.

I came across a stack of about 40 old growth trees that had been cut, stripped, piled and abandoned. It really breaks my heart to look at a stack of trees that are bigger around than my hug......left to rot.

Magnificent CreatorAs I hug these trees,I can sense your presenceYou have provided for us above and beyond our requirementsHelp me Lord God to respect thisHelp me Lord God to take only what is requiredand to be grateful and caring with those provisions.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

It must be a drag nervously posting and then deleting a post. Making a comment and then deleting a comment......I know the feeling. I shut my blog down for a while because certain destructive personal issues were flowing out into my blog. I would post something when I was full of self and then by the time I got home, realized I shouldnt have done it. It got to be a little bit of a cycle for me of puffing myself up by discrediting others and then having conscience make me take my words back, or quickly erase my post, hoping no one would see. I realized at that moment that I had to just chill. I shut down my blog. I changed the URL, sat silent for a while, Everyone needs some down time. I am not ashamed. I am actually pleased. I have a differant respect now. Sure I find myself saying some silly things but hey what the heck...its my sandbox anyway.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Sue and I got this fine present from our good friends, artist and ﻿rainbow, Patti and Barry. This is a Limited Addition Print 1/25. This is Sue and I on the banks of the Sturgeon. The sun is not only shining, BUT smiling too! This print is a reflection of the Garden of Eden, full of beauty and all good medicines.

We spent Thanksgiving Monday up the river at Sandy Falls. There is a nice little campspot up there. We parked the boat and setup camp here. We had a nice campfire and we explored. We picked garbage too and a fair bit of it. Some real old pop cans and remnants of partys from yesteryear.

This is a great spot and I think that come summer, we will probably head up here for the weekend. Its a pefect spot for camping and shore lunch.

Friday, October 08, 2010

I wanted to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving. I thought I could do it with a beautiful image that speaks Thanksgiving to me. The Rainbow colours proudly and purposely used to bring you a sense of beauty and awe. Yes we have so much to be thankful for! Pause and reflect n the importance of family, of unity, of community, of peace and love and grace. Think of forgiveness and gratitude. Think about extending your hand to someone who could use a lift. Think about this. All is well. All is one.....in the beauty of the light.

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Its what the facebook comment said. There were many who "liked" this. It makes sense. I try to dismiss, ignore or remove myself from people who suck the life out of me. Life is short. Who needs it?

BUT, I also got to thinking...what does that actually mean to me, now, today and for the future? I look to the opposite end of the spectrum, where man becomes nurturer, vs destructor. So I thought maybe I might re-write this catchy little phrase to have a better result in my life.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT, SO SPEND TIME WITH OTHERS, BREATHING LOVE AND HAPPINESS INTO THEM.

Wait a second now don. You just turned something that was easy, into something that is harder. Are you sure there would be better results?????

Sue and I got to help with the local food banks Thanksgiving Food Drive. We showed up at the basement of one of the churches in town. They were thankful to see us and we got right to work sorting. The schools and clubs and grocery stores had all taken part in this massive campaign. There were hundreds of paper bags full of various food stuffs. It was like reverse shopping. We would grab a bag and then go down the isle putting food back on the shelf. Like items were then boxed. Bags became piles became boxes. More and more people kept showing up. Various youth groups showed up and it was like bedlam. hahaha we were tripping on each other. We were like army ants though. Each person found a function.

Outings like this are great for poeple watching. It was fun and very tiring. Finally Sue and I decided to sneak out. Most of the work was complete and there were still people showing up to help. It was nice to feel community and to work side by side with so many poeple who just want to make sure that everyone eats.

People in Sturgeon Falls are proud and beautiful people and I get the sense that things like this are important to them. Well I say God bless community and community Spirit and Spirit in community. This is what God really wants. That we would care for each other and love each other in spirit and in truth.

Friday, October 01, 2010

This is the land of rainbows. I have never seen so many rainbow in my life. Rainbows on signs, rainbows in names, rainbows everywhere. Twice I have seen rainbows that touch the water on either side of me, creating perfect rainbow circles. The other night I was actually in a rainbow! I could see the translucent colors all around me! This is indeed, the land of the rainbow. The rainbow represents for me, the creators magnificent provisions, promise and desire for Love Peace and Relationship....peace to all my rainbow friends.